Noon recitals tuned to Spring

JOHNSTOWN - — The March series of Tuesday noon recitals at First Lutheran Church, 415 Vine St., Johnstown, will seek to prompt thoughts of Spring.

The lead recitalist, Matthew Price, plans to do it with love songs, including "O Solo Mio," when he performs at noon March 6. His accompanist is Harriett Miller.

Price, director of worship at Oakland United Methodist Church, has performed in opera and oratorio throughout the Eastern United States, including appearances with the Washington National Opera, Baltimore Opera and Wolf Trap Opera at Vienna, Va.

Price has a Master of music degree from the University of Massachusetts and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Marshall University.

"The series is a cultural opportunity for people who live and work in downtown Johnstown," said George Fattman, chairman of the recital task force. "People who work can hear excellent music, meet the artists at lunch and get back to work in about an hour."

On March 13 Dr. Christine Clewell, assistant professor of organ at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, will play the church's restored Skinner organ.

Dr. Clewell has performed in numerous programs in the Midwest and Northeast, including the Washington National Cathedral, Heinz Memorial Chapel, Pittsburgh, and the Kutzschmar Series in Portland, Maine.

As a recipient of the Rackham Minority Fellowship, she earned her doctoral degree from the University of Michigan in sacred and liturgical studies. She also holds degrees from IUP and Susquehanna University.

She has had extensive experience as a church organist-choirmaster. At IUP she is the music department's keyboard area coordinator and a member of the Carol Teti Memorial Organ Scholarship Committee.

On March 20 Becky Catelinet will present a clarinet recital. She's a member of the Johnstown Symphony Orchestra and the Johnstown Reed Band. She also is executive director of the Pennsylvania Rural Arts Alliance. She has been involved in numerous civic and music endeavors, often in a leadership role.

Catelinet holds a bachelor's degree in clarinet performance and a master's degree in music education from Carnegie Mellon University. She has taught music in public schools in Johnstown and Pittsburgh.

Her accompanist is Laura Williamson.

On March 27 Dr. Robert R. Wagner will present a recital of trumpet and voice, which he studied at Ithaca (N.Y.) College. He is studying trumpet with Dr. Kevin Eisensmith at IUP.

From 1982 to 1988 he was on active duty as an Army bandsman.

Later he prepared for Christian ministry and was ordained in 1992. He is the pastor of Moxham Lutheran Church. His wife Nancy is the associate in ministry.

Wagner is a life member of Post 155, Veterans of Foreign Wars, where he is the bugler for the ritual team.

The recital series, held in March, June and October, is underwritten by Pennsylvania Partners in the Arts with state funds provided through the Pennsylvania Rural Arts Alliance. Funding also comes from the Carolyn Walker Music Fund and numerous other contributors.